What is love? Gratitude.

The other evening I heard the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus sing this text by Rumi, the 13th Century Sufi mystic poet, opening the second movement of a new choral work “The Here and Now,” and was immediately struck by it. I thought, this phrase says what we are about at Episcopal Charities of Long Island.

That’s certainly how I feel about giving to Episcopal Charities and how I feel about the work I do here.

What is love? Gratitude.

Visiting parishes throughout the diocese and speaking with many across this island, I hear stories of people giving their time to parish outreach ministries supported by Episcopal Charities and giving of their material resources to ECLI.

Last month I visited a Brooklyn parish outreach ministry we have supported through a 2007 Archdeaconry and Church Based Grant. The parish priest told me of one woman who has been coming in to prepare and serve food for the hungry, working hard as a volunteer for their soup kitchen two days a week, year in and year out, for over ten years. She says that she is so blessed to have a good life, with a good education and job, with a loving family and church home. She is so filled with gratitude to God that she serves others out of love. Her love of God is shown through this expression of gratitude.

What is love? Gratitude.

A woman gave a gift to Episcopal Charities, telling us in a beautiful letter about her childhood memories of summers spent at Camp DeWolfe. She wrote about the love she received there, how she encountered the Love of God through friendships with other campers and the chaplain, of her camping experience and being with God in nature. That time spent so many years ago with the chaplain, learning about God through Bible study and worship has stayed with her all her life. She was inspired out of that love to give a gift to Episcopal Charities in gratitude for the camp and that chaplain.

What is love? Gratitude.

This Pentecost, when we celebrate the Gift of the Holy Spirit, may we each respond in gratitude to the gift of that Love so generously poured out upon us all.

Please give generously to Episcopal Charities of Long Island, 36 Cathedral Avenue, P.O. Box 510, Garden City, NY 11530. To use a credit card, please go to our website www. episcopalcharitiesli.org or call 516 248-4800, ext. 19 and speak with Mrs. Nancy Kennelly, Administrative Assistant. When you make a donation in memory of or in honor of someone, their name will be recorded in the Book of Remembrance and an acknowledgement sent to them.